It's Showtime All Summer Long at Your Library

Posted on May 25, 2019

Between free lunch, fun programs, reading challenges, and raffle prizes… there’s no room for summer boredom.

Free Lunch at the Library (for ages 18 and under)

No registrations, no worries - just show up (and maybe bring a friend!)

Central Santa Rosa: Jun 3 - Aug 9, Mon - Fri between 12:00 - 12:30pm

Cloverdale: Jun 10 - Aug 2, Mon - Fri between 12:00 - 12:30pm

Healdsburg: Jun 10 - Aug 2, Mon - Fri between 12:00 - 12:30pm

Northwest: Jun 3 - Aug 9, Mon - Fri between 12:00 - 12:30pm

Petaluma: Jun 3 - Aug 2, Mon-Fri between 12:00 - 12:30pm

Rohnert Park: Jun 10 - Aug 2, Mon - Fri between 12:15 - 12:45pm

Sebastopol: Jun 10 - Aug 2, Mon - Fri between 12:15 - 1:00pm

Sonoma Valley: Jun 10 - Aug 9, Mon - Fri between 12:00 - 12:30pm

Programs, Events, and Classes - OH MY!

In the spirit of this year’s theme - It’s Showtime! - our summer programs for teens are all about fun and flash. Here is just a sample of what’s coming up.

• Intro to Screenwriting is taught by bestselling author J.W. Rinzler and takes you on a tour of the screenplay writing process.

• Dungeon Master 101 teaches you the skills you need to lead a Dungeons & Dragons campaign.

• Teen Paint Party. We provide the supplies then we’ll teach you some easy painting techniques. Take home a beautiful painting and skills to last a lifetime.

• Make a Meme lets your sense of humor shine. You’ll learn about shooting original photos and using graphics software.

• Learn How to Draw Comic Books with Brian Kolm. Get started drawing your own comic books, including designing characters and showing action and emotion.

• Escape at the Library. You and your friends will work together to solve puzzles, open locks, and find hidden messages in an exciting Escape Room experience.

To find out what events are coming to your library, you can pick up a Summer Reading booklet at your branch or check out our calendar online. From sonomalibrary.org, select “Events” and then “Calendar of Events.”

Summer Reading Challenge for Teens

Register online at sonomalibrary.beanstack.org, or pick up a Summer Reading paper log at your local library. Get started by reading books and completing library activities to earn points: 100 points for each book, 25 points for each activity. Books can be enjoyed in any format, whether it’s a physical book, a graphic novel, an eBook, an audiobook, or an eAudiobook.

Track your reading activity in the paper log, or online at sonomalibrary.beanstack.org, or on the Beanstack app. Earn 500 points to get a free book and a raffle ticket for a grand prize. You can even keep reading to earn more points! Up to five free books may be earned over the summer.

But What About the Grand Prize?

Every 500 points earned gets you one raffle ticket. At the end of the summer, every library will draw a name and that teen will win a grand prize - a Chromebook!

Any Questions?

Don’t be afraid to reach out if you have more questions about Summer Reading. Click here to contact us. We’re here to help!

We will ‘MAKE YOU RICH’!

Posted on November 25, 2018

Well… actually... more accurately:

You can learn skills at our libraries that will help you become financially independent and comfortable in life--and yes, maybe even rich someday.  Scroll on for info!

Event happening this week:

What Teens Need to Know About Money

Financial advisors from Abacus Wealth Partners, LLC. will answer all your questions about MONEY!  They will help you figure out how many hours of work will it take to make your financial dreams become a reality!  This event is recommended for ages 14 to 21. (Thursday, 11/29, 3:30-5, Sebastopol Regional Library)

This meeting will cover:

1. How to fill out paperwork at a new job and how to interpret your paycheck.

2. How to establish good credit.

3. Borrowing and saving money - how many hours of working does it take to buy that fabulous pair of boots or car? We will also cover investing basics such as some apps you can use to save $.

4. We will also have live Q and A - bring your questions!

The Abacus team of advisors for this workshop has expanded to five, including our two new young advisors in their 20s.  We will have pizza at the end and we’ll stick around to answer any questions!

Follow this link to save your spot!

Can’t make it this Thursday?  That’s ok, we’ve got books & eResources to help you on your way!

Use your Sonoma County Library card to access resources online:

ValueLine - ValueLine puts you in the driver’s seat with accurate and insightful investment research on companies, industries, markets and economies. From the latest data, sophisticated tools and proven ranks to expert analysis and guidance, ValueLine gives you the power to evaluate investments with confidence.

Or,

Consult Consumer Reports when making purchases… go to: www.sonomalibrary.org, hover over ‘research’, click on ‘databases’, scroll down to Consumer Reports.

Or,

Check out related movies on our new FREE streaming film service, Kanopy:

Financial Fitness: Identity Theft, Protecting your Identity - “This comprehensive program for young adults provides all the information necessary for protecting yourself from identity theft. The well-aimed message includes a step by step explanation of the problem, the possible defenses, and important solutions for keeping your personal identity protected.”

Entrepreneurship: Be Your Own Boss - It is said that entrepreneurs are ordinary people who achieve extraordinary things. How do entrepreneurs succeed in following their dreams, while making them profitable? Discover the struggles and successes of four different business owners in Entrepreneurship: Be Your Own Boss. Featuring interviews of a baker, videographer, children's clothing designer, and president of a charitable running event company, the entrepreneurs share their experiences running their own businesses. Topics include: * Motivation * Challenges and Risks * Strengths, Skills, and Training * Time Management * Communication and Teamwork * Support Systems * Rewards * Advice for Others

Life Skills Series: Independent Living for Young Adults - Now that you've decided it's time to be living independently, there are several important life-skills that you'll need for success. Not surprising leaving the cushiness of home can lead to a downward spiral in ones lifestyle. It therefore becomes critical to learn how to balance what comes in against what goes out. It's not easy! Student debt along with housing, clothing, food, insurance, automobile, savings and entertainment all combine to put a serious strain on an income. But, if you can't manage your money you can't manage your life and that makes it very difficult for succeeding on your own. It's not easy!

Teens & Money: real life teens -  This program discusses Money and Teens. Teens often have trouble making mature decisions about money. Often, when teens earn money they will spend it without thinking, and can know little about money management. But more often than ever, teens need to learn how to be responsible with money and the complex world of consumer finance they are about to enter.

The Reality of Money - For all of its abstractness, money is a powerfully real phenomenon. Delve into the intricate events that unfold as money, goods, and services are exchanged in the economy. Examine how the ideas of John Maynard Keynes and the results of modern psychological research challenge the two primary assumptions of classical economic theory.

Money, Power, and Wall Street - Hour One begins with the epic story of the rise of modern finance. A revolution in banking begins at a luxury hotel in Boca Raton, FL, where a rowdy team from J. P. Morgan invents a new marketplace for trading risk. Correspondent Martin Smith (College, Inc., The Madoff Affair) interviews leading bankers, officials and journalists to explain how financial engineering on Wall Street brought the global economy to its knees--and the reverberations are still being felt along Main Street. Then, in Hour Two, FRONTLINE producer Michael Kirk (Inside the Meldown, The Warning) investigates how the country's leaders failed to prevent an oncoming crisis and ended up initiating the largest government bailout in history. Told by participants from Washington and Wall Street, the story includes inside accounts from the campaign of presidential candidate Barack Obama. By the time of his election Obama is thoroughly up to speed on the disaster, but the question remains--what can he do once he takes office?

Or,

Check out books:

How Money Works: facts visually explained

The complete guide to personal finance: for teenagers and college students

Budgeting Smarts: how to set goals, spend wisely, save money, and more

Business for Bohemians: live well, make money

Women and Money

Encyclopedia of Money

Top Ten Secrets for Spending Your Money Wisely

Peterson’s How to Get Money for College 2019

The Financial Diet: a total beginner’s guide to getting good with money

Looking for more?  Drop by your favorite branch of the Sonoma County Library and ask a Young Adult Librarian for help finding the resources you need.  We are here for you!

Created by Rosalie C. Abbott, MLIS, Sebastopol Regional Library

Celebrate Your Freedom to READ.

Posted on September 23, 2018

BAN Books? Let’s NOT!

At our Libraries, we’re always celebrating the freedom to read.  Did you know that Librarians are on the front lines of our democracy, standing up and fighting for open access to information and intellectual freedom on the daily?

Check this out.

You may have heard about this book…

THE HATE U GIVE

THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Did you know that this was one of the most banned and challenged books of 2017?!

This is how one student took matters into her own hands:

‘Students are increasingly defending challenged material. When The Hate U Give was removed from shelves in Katy, Texas, 15-year-old Ny’Shira Lundy started a petition that garnered nearly 4,000 signatures and helped restore the book. “I feel like children should have the power to learn about what they want to learn about,” Lundy told the National Coalition Against Censorship. “But by [removing a book], we don’t have intellectual freedom, we don’t open the door to learn about the things that we would like to learn about.” - Ny’Shira Lundy, Literary Activist, bannedbooksweek.org

(NOTE: Read the book before you see the movie on or after 10/5! 

Find or Request The Hate U Give at the Sonoma County Library--or download it!  Bonus: Movie trailer)

Curious about becoming a Literary Activist… but not quite sure where to start?

TAKE ACTION: Inform Yourself, Report Censorship, Stand for the Banned, Dear Banned Author, READ.

The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom - Top Ten Most Challenged Books

(Most of the titles below are considered Young Adult novels, however,

a few are meant for a younger audience…  younger siblings anyone?)

The Hate U Give, written by Angie Thomas

(Access: actual book, actual book Large Type, eAudiobook, eBook, book on CD)

Despite winning multiple awards and being the most searched-for book on Goodreads during its debut year, this YA novel was challenged and banned in school libraries and curriculums because it was considered “pervasively vulgar” and because of drug use, profanity, and offensive language.

Thirteen Reasons Why, written by Jay Asher

(Access: actual book, actual book in Spanish, eBook, eAudiobook, book on CD, DVD)

Originally published in 2007, this New York Times bestseller has resurfaced as a controversial book after Netflix aired a TV series by the same name. This YA novel was challenged and banned in multiple school districts because it discusses suicide.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, written by Sherman Alexie

(Access: actual book, eAudiobook, book on CD)

Consistently challenged since its publication in 2007 for acknowledging issues such as poverty, alcoholism, and sexuality, this National Book Award winner was challenged in school curriculums because of profanity and situations that were deemed sexually explicit.

Drama, written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier

(Access: actual book, actual graphic novel, eBook).

This Stonewall Honor Award-winning, 2012 graphic novel from an acclaimed cartoonist was challenged and banned in school libraries because it includes LGBT characters and was considered “confusing.”

The Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hosseini

(Access: actual book, actual graphic novel, actual book Large Type, eAudiobook, book on CD, DVD)

This critically acclaimed, multigenerational novel was challenged and banned because it includes sexual violence and was thought to “lead to terrorism” and “promote Islam.”

George, written by Alex Gino

(Access: actual book, eAudiobook, eBook, book on CD)

Written for elementary-age children, this Lambda Literary Award winner was challenged and banned because it includes a transgender child.

Sex is a Funny Word, written by Cory Silverberg and illustrated by Fiona Smyth.*

(Access: 10 copies of the actual book)

This 2015 informational children’s book written by a certified sex educator was challenged because it addresses sex education and is believed to lead children to “want to have sex or ask questions about sex.”

To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee

(Access: actual book, eAudiobook, eBook, book on CD, book on Cassette, DVD)

This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, considered an American classic, was challenged and banned because of violence and its use of the N-word.

And Tango Makes Three, written by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson and illustrated by Henry Cole

(Access: actual book, actual book in Spanish, eBook, book and CD)

Returning after a brief hiatus from the Top Ten Most Challenged list, this ALA Notable Children’s Book, published in 2005, was challenged and labeled because it features a same-sex relationship.

I Am Jazz, written by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings and illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas

(Access: 13 copies of the actual book)

This autobiographical picture book co-written by the 13-year-old protagonist was challenged because it addresses gender identity.

READ. CELEBRATE. READ SOME MORE.

Banned Books Week 2018 - Sonoma County Library

Created by Rosalie C. Abbott, MLIS, Sebastopol Regional Library

Guys Read... Digital Magazines?

Posted on July 24, 2018

Q: Absolute best part about summer?  

A: You can read WHATEVER you feel like!  Magazines, graphic novels, read something ridiculous, tackle a tome, absorb audiobooks, or read online--you can do YOU all summer long!

One of the most frequent comments we hear from teenagers throughout the year is that either, 1) they don’t have time to read (too much homework), or, 2) the ‘classics’ that they are assigned to read and analyze for high school classes (possibly the same ones their parents read in high school) are sucking the life out of them…

This, my friends, is one of the most beautiful aspects of the sunny season (next to sleeping in of course!): the freedom to choose what, when, and how you read!  Not a “reader”?  Never fear... we have something for EVERYONE.  Have you checked out our list of incredible magazines that you can access at home--without ever leaving the comfort of your bedroom that you may or may not have cleaned like the adult(s) requested? 

Wait... FREE digital magazines accessible 24/7 from anywhere?

GQ, Car & Driver, Rolling Stone, The Economist, Outside, Popular Science, Men’s Journal, Esquire, ESPN, The Week, WIRED, National Geographic, Men’s Fitness, Men’s Health, iD (Ideas and Discoveries), Field & Stream, High Times, The Atlantic, Backcountry, Dirt Rag, Poets & Writers, PC Gamer, Popular Mechanics, Motor Trend, National Geographic Traveler, Four Wheeler, Guitar Player, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Newsweek

Want Access?

Follow these easy steps: 1. Click here to register on the RBdigital website, 2. Download the free app on your phone or tablet, 3. Enter your library card number, 4. Enjoy!

For anyone who asks... YES, of course enjoying magazines counts as reading!  

Don’t have internet at home?  No worries--we've got you.  Come in and check out our new Hublets (tablets) located at various branches.  You can sit in one of our comfy chairs, tablet & digital magazine in hand, and relax for as long as you wish.  Got questions or need a book recommendation?  Ask one of our friendly YA Librarians at your favorite branch of the Sonoma County Library, they're waiting to help you find exactly what you're looking for!